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Donald Trump: The One Man SWOT Team

In marketing, the acronym SWOT stands for the analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Any successful businessperson has without a doubt done his or her market research in order to target one’s product to the appropriate sector and develop a strategic business plan. Given “The Donald’s” billionaire status – is he the 0.1%? – we certainly know he has done his due diligence and market research in order to make his own fortune, along with inheriting a vast fortune from his father.
Given his recent (unfortunate) foray into politics, do we think he would have been any less shoddy in contriving a plan to become the next President of the United States? How else could a man who has zero political experience rise to such despicable heights, unless he knew how to pander to the masses? Trump is a mastermind of manipulation! The following is a SWOT analysis of “The Donald’s” frightening rise to power, and perhaps a guide for those who want to take power and use it for good:

STRENGTHS:
-Trump is a master of self-promotion. He has no shame in promoting himself, in whatever form of media. The more outrageous, the better. Harassing and teasing opponents, making unsubstantiated claims – he is his biggest ally.
-He has inherited wealth. This is a very rare asset that he has used to his advantage, and tremendous wealth is imperative to run a presidential campaign.
-Nepotism. There is speculation that he got into Wharton Business School due to family connections. This does not seem implausible, as his undergraduate record does not seem worthy of entering an Ivy League graduate program.
-An MBA. He knows the ropes of how to make money and get ahead, and he applies those strategies of identifying the market and tailoring your product to fit it. In this case, his market is the conservative, uneducated American public, and he is the product.
-Hide your dark secrets from your supporters, or try to. A Jewish-convert daughter (imagine the anti-Semitic fans of Trump hearing that!) Contributing to Democrats in addition to Republicans over the years. An immigrant wife. Support from David Duke. Immigrant labor on his real estate. All things that might cost him votes with Joe Q. Public. But these are all carefully hidden as best as possible.
-Be enough of a hypocrite that you give the opposition some credibility. Trump can’t be entirely anti-immigrant, can he? After all, his wife is a Slovenian immigrant. And he would let London mayor Sadiq Khan in to the United States – just not the other Muslims.

WEAKNESSES:
-A basic lack of experience in politics. Enough said about his key weakness, which is a very serious matter.
-A total lack of true knowledge of foreign policy. He might know the markets, but there is more to building diplomacy than whether the stock exchange is bullish or bearish.
-Megalomania. A politician has to be rational and balanced, and not operate on hysteria from the public in order to form policies.
-No legitimate political advisors. Not even the worst of the Republicans want anything to with Trump.
His solution? Bully when someone attacks your weaknesses.

OPPORTUNITIES:
(This is where Trump preys upon his targets)
-Disenfranchised lower-middle-class whites. We have worked so hard to help minorities achieve equality, but these people understandably feel neglected. To disenfranchise anyone can only lead to bad consequences down the road.
-Racists. Whites who feel that they “were there first” have a lot of hidden animosity that is not allowed to be expressed. Donald gives them a public mouthpiece for their hatred, even though he himself may very likely not believe in what he is saying.
-Fears of immigrants. Whether it is threats from the Middle East or south of the border, xenophobia is a key issue Donald uses for his campaign. He is able to magnify smaller incidents and make people believe they are rampant.

THREATS:
-Muslims. As Mrs. Clinton suggested, he is only stoking the fire for America to be more vulnerable to terrorist attacks if he harasses Muslims.
-Illegal immigrants. Never mind that half his empire was built by them anyway.
-The media. They have the power to expose every last flaw of Trump’s (where are his tax returns, anyway?), to tar and feather him.
-Foreign heads of state dislike him. How can we continue with diplomacy and trade and foreign relations if we have a buffoon in the White House that no one wants to officially recognize?
-Lack of political support. Even the shadiest of politicians seem to be loath to support him, and without support from Congress, a President is merely a figurehead who accomplishes nothing.

Trump is, therefore, a market researcher of the highest order. Perhaps looking for his latest business venture, he has sought the office of President as another line to add to his resume. All we can hope for is a miracle before the Republican National Convention. If not, Canada is a short drive away.